Computerized database systems have been used for decades to acquire, store and manipulate useful information. Initially, databases were housed in computers and attached storage peripherals and accessed via local terminals. With developments in remote access computing, users were able to enter, retrieve or manipulate data stored in a central database from remote locations. Today, centralized databases are accessed by users throughout the world via wireless and broadband optical connections.
Databases have found particular utility in monitoring inventories, performance characteristics and other assorted information about equipment sold or leased by a company. In many cases, each piece of equipment is assigned a unique identifier that is used to associate that piece of equipment within a database. As the equipment is used, sold, moved, repaired or replaced, appropriate information can be entered into the database and correlated with the piece of equipment so that a complete historical record can be maintained. In some instances, databases have permitted the entry of “user comments” that provide additional information about the particular piece of equipment.
Although helpful, information obtained from the field is often subjective and non-standardized. While modern databases can be readily configured to accept and store non-routine information from remote locations, this type of information presents numerous problems during subsequent data analysis. Inconsistent information from a database can lead to large margins of error in subsequent calculations. It is to these and other deficiencies in the prior art that the present invention is directed.